adminJonathan Mbiriyamveka Entertainment Reporter
Actor Lloyd Kurima said although he did not win anything at the recently held National Arts Merit Awards in Bulawayo, he was still a happy man.
Kurima who is more popularly known as Mabla 10 from the television drama series “Bhegi Rabvaruka” said his time would come.
“I am not a bad loser at all. I am happy for myself and those that won at the awards.
“The creative industry is not about the ultimate winner but also those who are recognised through taking part.
What I know is that at some point I will win,” Mabla 10 said. Mabla 10 who is the protagonist in the drama series lost to Nash Mphepo who stars in the comedy “Decoder” by Zandile Mahaja in the Outstanding Actor Award category.
Just to show that it was not his day, Mabla 10 also lost in the Outstanding Screen Production – full length film won by “Gringo the trouble maker” by Enock Chihombori.
According to critics, Mabla 10’s acting thrives on slap stick humour and recycled jokes mostly from the internet while Nash’s razor sharp humour and original jokes gave him the edge.
However, Mabla is optimistic that with hard work and more effort one day the sun will shine on him.
Mabla also promised to release more drams and films this year.
Overally, this year’s Nama ceremony was as controversial as the previous years with adjudicators failing to put like and like together in some categories.
Critics of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe which is the mother body in charge of regulating the arts, claim that the awards could be better if the adjudicators operated independently.
Others also say that more funding was needed to take the awards to greater heights in line with other awards ceremonies in southern Africa.
However, compared to previous years where winners walked away with only the gongs, this year the NACZ made huge strides in sponsorship as all the winners per each category were given US$500 and also different prizes were dished out much to the pleasure of the winners.
This means that the biggest winner on the night Jah Prayzah born Mukudzei Mukombe pocketed US$2 000 for scooping four awards at the awards ceremony which was also beamed live on TV.
Online Reporter